Silhouette
by HaganeNoWriter
Summary: Allen Walker is an ordinary teenager. Half of the time. The other half of his life is spent living by an alias. The famous musical artist, Silhouette; The only artist to hide their face from their fans. Allen's struggle doesn't only involve living a double life, but coping with PTSD, and a tragic past that seems to keep catching up with him when he thought he'd outrun it. No Ships.
1. How It All began

**A/N: Okay, HELLO MINA! This is an idea that I came up with from listening to Nightcore remixes. (Seriously, check them out) This is an AU oneshot, but I will make this into a story if my lovely reviewers tell me to do so. I already have a plot in mind, and have started writing the next chapter. So, this is sort of a prologue of sorts. Since this is an AU, I thought like I needed to explain my idea to avoid reader confusion. Well, that's all. anyway, READ ZE STORY! XD**

What does it feel like to be known by thousands, yet not known by anyone? That was the very definition of the life of Allen Walker. Allen walker is just a normal sophomore student, at least from the hours of 8 am - 2:30 pm. During the rest of his life. he is known by an alias; an alias well known in the world of music and the internet. Allen walker is also known as the music artist Silhouette; the first artist to never reveal their face to their audience.

Allen always had a knack for music and coming up with original songs, so he decided to give it a shot. When he was thirteen, he sent a recording of him performing one of his original songs to a recording company. The tape was only audio, so the producers never saw his face, and they sent him an overwhelmingly positive message of approval. The producers all but begged that Allen be endorsed by their company, and Allen accepted the offer. On one condition. That he didn't show his face.

Allen was an unlucky kid. He was born with a deformed arm, which led to him being abandoned at birth by his biological parents. He lived in orphanages until he was adopted by Mana Walker. The first person to ever treat Allen like family. However, like all good things, it all came to an end.

The only person who truly loved Allen died in a car accident. What's worse, he died saving Allen from the impact. They were simply walking down the street when a driver under the influence swerved off the road toward Allen. Mana panicked, and shoved Allen out of the way, taking the fatal blow onto himself. Mana Walker died in the streets that night, a ten year old son clutching his slowly chilling body.

With nowhere else to go, Allen parted with Mana's body, and lived on the streets until he was twelve. During this span of time, even more misfortune was to come his way. On the streets, there isn't anyone to protect you. You look out for yourself. Allen learned this the hard way. One night, he was looking for a meal when a gang kidnapped him. When they saw his deformed arm, they were disgusted by him, and left him a gift of many knife wounds. One, however, stood out in particular. The leader of the gang personally pinned him to the floor, and carved a deep scar over the left side of his face. An upside-down pentagram along with several other markings that went across his eyelid. he made sure to make the cuts deep enough that the scar would last Allen's entire lifetime. This was a reminder to Allen that he will never fit in. That he would always be different from everyone else and have nothing to do about it.

After this traumatic experience, the gang proceeded to dump the ten year old child in an alley. As Allen sat lay in that cold alleyway, he normally auburn hair faded to a stark white from shock, contrasting against the blood on his face and the rest of his body. Soon after, he was discovered by a man named Komui Lee. He was astonished by Allen's wounds and rushed him over to the nearest hospital. After Allen was treated, the doctors informed Komui that Allen had no guardians or relatives to speak of, so he would be sent to another orphanage. Komui, however, didn't want that to happen. He decided to adopt Allen, and become his legal guardian, as he was for his younger sister, Lenalee.

So it was decided, and Allen became part of the Lee family. In that short year, Allen had warmed up to both siblings, and attended Lenalee's school. Soon after, they discovered Allen's musical talent… That leads the story where up to now.

Allen Walker is now the known musical artist, Silhouette. The idea for not showing his face wasn't just to conceal the effect of his past, but also to send a message. A message that says that you don't have to be a Hollywood poster-boy to be famous. You don't need to be attractive, and that talent is what really counts.

Allen loves producing music, though it can be difficult at times, as his identity is hidden from the Press and his fans. Living a double life is hard, but is worth it when he gets to hear people chanting his stage name.

Allen realized that this is how it felt to be both known by many, but not known by anyone.

**A/N: Pheww! As I said before, This is more of an AU oneshot, so let me know in a review if you want me to make this into a story. Honestly, I would be more than happy to. okay... **

**Until Next Time,**

**HaganeNoWriter**


	2. An Ordinary Morning

**A/N: Hello! My reviewers wanted me to turn this into a story, SO I DID! I HOPE YOU ARE HAPPY BECAUSE I AM! VERY MUCH HAPPY! But seriously, I'm pretty proud of myself. I have motivation and a plot in mind for this story. But, don't expect all the chapters to be this long. I had a lot of inspiration. I'll try to make all the chapters at least 1,000 words each, but you never know. Anyway, READ ZE STORY! XD**

Allen woke from a dreamless slumber. The morning sun was pouring in through the windows of the small room. The light making the white walls shine brighter. Eyelids opened to reveal silver irises like polished coins. Another ordinary morning. Well, normal for Allen, anyway. A concert kept Allen up half the night, and dark circles were beginning to form under his shining eyes. The blaring red numbers on his alarm clock read 6:00 am. A new day awaits, but not by choice.

A lazy hand flopped up from under the covers over to a nightstand. A Twelve pack of 5 Hour Energy lay atop the wooden surface. The sluggish hand grabbed one of the small bottles, and retreated back under the covers. A minute later, an empty bottle flew from the bed over to an overflowing trashcan of empty bottles, all in various flavors.

Then, the figure sat up, and yawned. The figure had white hair, and a red scar upon his face. Both unusual sights for a fifteen year old boy. Allen got out of bed, and got dressed in order to prepare for school. This consisted of a pair of skinny jeans, red converse shoes, and a large grey pullover. The sleeves were long enough on him that he could hide his deformed hand, and the hood was spacious enough to cover his hair and scar.

Allen sighed as he adjusted the hoodie, thinking of how something that happened so long ago was still affecting him today.

He then walked to the bathroom, and looked in the mirror. He froze at the sight of himself. The scar on his face seemed to throb slightly, as if remembering how it was inflicted. Allen's deformed hand reached up to cover the scar, as he gripped the edge of the sink with his other hand. There he stood, staring at his reflection. Anyone who saw him would think he was simply gazing at his reflection, but in truth, he wasn't in his home anymore. His mind was reliving the night he received the red gash on his face.

_The laughing of his tormentors filled his ears, in the background behind his own screaming. Chanting and yelling encouraged the figure pinning him to the ground. The sick, twisted smile above him grew wider as the knife dug deeper into his skin. He also felt the sensation of blood running freely down his face, burning along with the rest of his wounds. All the while, the man inflicting the damage to him spoke to him. _

"_You'll never fit in, kid. You disgust me. I hope this reminds you that you'll never belong. You're no better than a rat on the streets; a parasite on society. _

"_Allen?"_

"_Allen?!"_

"Allen?!"

His silver eyes snapped open to find that his left hand was still covering his scar, and he could feel tears dripping onto his palm. He looked around to see that he was no longer standing at the mirror, but sitting with his back against the wall, the sink and mirror positioned in front and above him. He turned his head to see a familiar face. His adoptive sister, Lenalee, She had a worried look in her eyes, her long hair was messy, and she was still in her pajamas, like she had just woken up. She had her hands gripping his shoulders.

"Allen, are you alright?" She asked. He met her eyes, and his gaze drifted down to his lap.

"Yeah, I'm fine." he told her softly. This happened occasionally. Flashbacks fought their way back from his subconscious to terrorize him at random times. The doctors diagnosed his condition as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Any reminder of what happened that night years ago could send Allen into his own internal Hell.

"Are you sure?" Lenalee questioned.

"Yeah. It wasn't that bad this time." Allen reassured her.

"Well, if you're sure. Go get some breakfast." Lenalee ordered, her bossy nature resurfacing. Ever since Allen was adopted by her older brother, Komui, she went out of her way to be an older sister to Allen. Since she was a year older, she always went out of her way to support and take care of Allen when he needed it.

Allen made his way downstairs, and the smell of sizzling bacon hit him like a freight train. This immediately made his stomach roar like an angry lion. Letting his stomach guide him, he found his way down the set of stairs to the kitchen of the two-story house. There, he found his legal guardian Komui, chasing bacon with a spatula in a skillet.

"Good morning, Komui!" Allen called over the sound of the stove.

"Good morning, Allen! Have a seat, breakfast will be-" Allen sped to a seat faster that Komui could finish his sentence.

"Well, somebody's hungry today." Komui noted as he made a plate of eggs and bacon and set it on the table for Allen. Allen devoured everything on the plate before Lenalee even made it down the stairs, and went back for seconds. Allen had the biggest appetite of anybody he knew, and Komui always made sure to make an extra plate for him. He also cleared that plate just as Lenalee was sitting down for her serving.

She was dressed in a black, long-sleeved shirt, and a short green skirt. Her long hair was tied back in two pigtails. Allen put his plate in the sink, and went to sit on the couch and watch television until Lenalee finished her breakfast. They walked to school together, since they figured Allen walking alone on the street wasn't the best idea. Lenalee and Komui were striking up a conversation, while Allen turned on the news. It was coverage of last night's concert.

"_Last night's news include another sold out concert for the artist "Silhouette". For those of you that don't recognize the name, this is the first artist to write songs, but never show their face to their fans. That's right. This young man, age unknown, has astounding musical talent, but conceals his face behind a curtain, and projects his shadow onto the curtain to his fans. Last night's concert finale gave us an inspiring message._

A video of his concert appeared on the screen, and played the final words of the concert.

'_This curtain may seem like I'm hiding from you guys, but that's not the reason. Beauty isn't in the eye of the beholder, but of the owner. Don't let other people's opinions dictate how you live your life. How I look shouldn't matter. Well, you guys have been an amazing audience. Thank you! Goodnight!'_

"_Well, there you have it. Silhouette's music production has raised him up to be the number one teen music artist in the country. Other news include…"_

Allen shut the television off, and laid back into the couch, enjoying his relaxation while he can. After school he has another song recording scheduled for his new album. That's going to be a hassle.

"...I found him on the floor in the bathroom. He was holding his scar." Allen heard Lenalee say. He figured she was talking about him.

"He had another flashback?" Komui asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I think so. He said it wasn't that bad, though. I think he'll be fine." Lenalee supplied. Allen smiled at that. If she had said it was as bad as it was, Komui probably would have taken him to a doctor. Allen shuddered. Allen hated nothing more than doctors.

"Alright, but keep an eye on him just in case." Komui ordered.

"I will." Lenalee said with a smile.

Allen stood up from the couch, and walked over to the door. Lenalee followed.

"Bye, Komui." Allen said.

"Bye, Brother!" Lenalee sang.

"See you after school! Be careful!"

And with that, they made their way to Cross Marian High School.

**A/N: Well, that was the first chapter of ****_Silhouette. _****In the next chapter I'll explore Allen's school life, and music production. This is my first -Man story, and I mainly write about Fullmetal Alchemist. SO, if you're an FMA fan, check out my other stories. I'm pretty excited about this story, and I hope you are too. Any and all flames will be given to Natsu Dragneel and Roy Mustang. But please review! I LOVE ME SOME REVIEWS! That's all for now.**

**Until Next Time, **

**~HaganeNoWriter**


	3. Exhaustion and School

**A/N: Hello! Welcome to the third chapter! I'm going to warn you, I have school, and I won't be able to update as often as you'd like me to. I'm just warning you now. well, that's all. ANYWAY... READ ZE STORY! XD**

The two teenagers walked along the street to their high school; Cross Marian High. The school was said to be named after a famous war hero of the area who died about half a century ago. General Cross, according to the history books, was the best marksman on the battlefield. After the war, his lover, Maria, fell ill and passed away. He became a drunk, and died from over-consumption of alcohol, and was even buried with his silver pistol, Judgement.

Most people in this town considered Cross to be a hero, but Allen disagreed. General Cross just seemed like a lazy drunk who couldn't handle losing someone he loved. Considering all that Allen had been through, it really irritated him when people lose themselves over things they can move past.

Soon, the school was in their line of vision, and they would arrive within the next ten minutes. They passed several alleyways on the way there, and Lenalee made sure to position herself so she was between Allen and the alley. Allen didn't need another flashback after what had happened that morning.

They were now walking up the steps to the school, along with all the other teenagers making their way to class. Allen slowed his pace to the point that he was standing slightly behind Lenalee. Lenalee didn't comment. This was a normal occurrence when they walked to school. Why? Bullying.

Allen had been bullied ever since he had started school after Komui adopted him. He was exceptionally smart, and got caught up in his studies before he started school. Allen was harassed simply because of his background and appearance. His white hair and scar were an unusual sight, and word somehow got out that he lived on the streets for most of his life. Every day he was either called a freak, poor, worthless, or weak for relying on Lenalee so much. This also meant that Lenalee also got her share of the verbal abuse, but it never bothered her. She would always be there for her little brother.

They walked through the halls until they reached the point where they would have to part ways. Since Lenalee is a year older than Allen, she is Junior, while he is a Sophomore. They have different classes.

"Well, I'll see you at lunch." Lenalee told Allen with a smile.

"Y-Yeah, see you later." Allen said with a stutter. He then turned around, and went to his first class. Lenalee walked in the opposite direction and did the same.

Even with the large sweatshirt's hood pulled over his head, everyone knew who he was. Allen attempts as hiding his imperfections were in vain. As soon as he walked through the door, other students recognized him. He walked to the back of the class to his seat, and sat down. He reached into his bag, and pulled out the manga he was currently reading. A story called _Fullmetal Alchemist. _

Allen liked reading this story because the main character reminded him of Lenalee. Edward Elric was a dedicated older sibling that would do anything for his younger brother, Alphonse. There have been some instances so far in the series that Edward had almost died protecting Alphonse. Lenalee had told him shortly after he was adopted that Lenalee would do anything to protect him and be there for him. In a way, Lenalee and Allen were Edward and Alphonse, but Allen would never say that to her face. She would probably accuse her of looking like a guy. Nobody should be the target of Lenalee's rage. It wasn't a pretty sight.

The teacher walked into the room, and to their seat at the front desk. He was a middle-aged man with brown hair streaked with grey.

"Alright, let's begin where we left off yesterday." The teacher announced. The majority of the class groaned, Geometry obviously not being their favorite subject.

Allen put his manga away, and pulled out his Geometry textbook, and notebook. Eyes still hazed with exhaustion from last night's performance, and thought drifting toward his busy schedule after school, the rest of his classes were a blur.

* * *

><p>The next thing Allen knew, he and Lenalee were walking home to prepare for his recording session.<p>

"So… Allen. Are you ready for your recording?" Lenalee asked curiously.

"Yeah. I think so. I finished the lyrics two days ago, so I should be fine." Allen answered back.

"I heard Komui talking on the phone that you're getting a different guitarist for this one. Some guy named Lavi. I looked him up, and he's pretty good." Lenalee complemented.

"Yeah, I can't wait to hear him. I'm just not too sure about showing my face to someone that I don't know yet." Allen replied sheepishly.

"Oh, don't worry. We've worked with this studio before. They're going to set up a barrier between you and the rest of the musicians. You'll be able to hear each other, but they'll only be able to see your shadow, as always." Lenalee reassured.

"Oh, that's good to know." Allen said in relief. The two reached their house, and was immediately met by Komui, barking orders.

"Allen! We are leaving in ten minutes! Get your jacket and your mask!" Komui yelled. The jacket and mask that Komui was referring to are a jacket with a hood that covers his hair, and a mask that covers his face so when he arrives, then his identity stays a secret. Allen found his mask located on his dresser. He picked it up, and ran his thumb over the designs. The mask covered the majority of his face, but left his nose and mouth free so he could talk and breathe. The mask covered his scar, and had darkly tinted lenses over his eyes so nobody could see his silver irises. On the left side of the mask, there were black designs that accented his face shape. On the right, white designs did the same.

He put the mask on, and followed Komui out of the house to a car with a cheu fer, closely followed by Lenalee. Komui told him the location, and the three of them went off to record Silhouette's new song.

**A/N: I know that this chapter was basically filler, but I got Lavi in the story! YAY! I have NO IDEA now to fit Kanda into the story, but I'LL FIND A WAY! as for pairings... In this story, I'll either have no pairings, or Laven. (LavixAllen) However, I've never written romance before, and I really don't want this story to crash and burn. anyway, FOLLOW, FAVORITE, REVIEW!**

**Until Next Time...**

**~HaganeNoWriter**


	4. The Expressive Side

**A/N: HELLO MINA! I'm sorry about the wait, but I had a very hectic past two weeks. I was at a JROTC Drill Team competition last weekend, and didn't have access to Wi-Fi ****AT ALL****! Now, I have drill practice every weekday until 5pm after school until the next competition in 5 weeks. *Sigh* Yeah, it's a lot. I'm going to write as much as I can on weekends, and any free time that I have. Trust me, I really want to be working on this story, but I only have time on weekends. Well, that was my apologetic rant about lack of updatage... I Don't own -Man, or ****_Machines_**** by Crown the Empire. I decided not to use ****_Angel With a Shotgun. _****I realized in this story that it would be pretty unlikely for Allen to get a date with anyone, due to him ebing bullied. ANYWAY, READ ZE STORY! XD**

Komui, Lenalee, and a masked Allen were quickly driven to the recording studio with no time to waste. The drive along the streets of their town was uneventful. Komui and Lenalee were conversing about school, while Allen gazed out the tinted glass of the window. Their car had passed several alleys tainted by graffiti, and one even had the felons plainly visible from the street.

Two males who seemed to be around seventeen years of age spray painting the brick wall of a building. As the car passed, and Allen continued to look at them, one of the teenagers seemed to meet Allen's eyes, and glare at him. Soon, the car was out of the valdilizer's sight, but that still didn't shake the feeling of nervousness that had washed over Allen. What if those people were members of _that_ gang? The one that kidnapped me? Did they recognize me? He was jolted back into reality by a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Lenalee asked softly. Allen turned his head to face her, his expression hidden by the mask across his eyes.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Allen replied. He then realised how preposterous his thoughts were just moments ago. He was sitting behind the tinted glass of a fancy automobile, and a mask hiding his facial features. It wouldn't have been possible for those two hoodlums to recognize him, even _if _they were from _that_ gang.

Shortly after, they arrived at the recording studio, and was greeted with a warm welcome from the supervisor of today's event. He was an outgoing man named Jerry. He had dark skin, and brown hair pulled back in dreadlocks. He had a pair of black sunglasses, and black vest, and jeans that formed a complete outfit. He rushed over to Allen… or in this case, Silhouette, and ushered him inside while greeting him simultaneously

"Hey, Mr. Silhouette! I will be your producer today! Hmm… Silhouette is too long for casual talk. How about… Silly! Yes! That works!" Jerry rambled on before Allen could even answer him. Before he knew it, they were at the recording booth. Just as he was informed, the studio had a section that was separated from the rest of the band. he entered through a different door, and found a microphone, a pair of headphones, and a keyboard.

Allen looked to the right, and nearly had a heart attack. He could see through the barrier separating him from the rest of the band. The drummer was twirling drumsticks through his fingers, and a red haired guitarist who looked to be about eighteen years old was adjusting the strings on his black electric guitar. Allen realized that he was still wearing his mask, so he decided to find out if they could see him as well.

"Hello?" Allen called. The red haired teen turned in the direction of Allen's voice, but didn't look directly at him.

"Silhouette? Is that you?" He called back.

"Yeah, do you… Um… happen to know what the barrier is made of?" Allen asked sheepishly.

"Oh. I get it. Don't worry. It's a one-way mirror. You can see us, but we can't see you." The guitarist assured.

"Oh… Thank you. And you are…?"

"The name's Lavi. I'm your new guitarist. It's a pleasure to be working with you." Lavi gave a mocking bow with a smile in Allen's general direction. Allen gave a slight laugh.

"Is your voice ready? I hope you read the information for your role. You'll be accompanying me."

"No problem. I've trained for stuff like this." Lavi said with a smirk.

"That's good to hear. Thank you for taking the job. Let's get started, shall we?" Allen asked.

"Yeah, we should get started." Lavi Replied.

Allen removed his mask, and readied his voice. He then removed the hood from over his head, and placed the headphones on his ears. Allen reached into his jacket pocket, and pulled out a folded piece of paper with the lyrics of his new song written on it. He spread out the sheet, and placed it on a music stand in front of him.

"Alright, Silly. You ready?" Jerry's enthusiastic voice came in from the other room, where all the fancy dials and buttons that Allen had no idea what they do were. In response, Allen gently placed his fingers over the keys of the keyboard, took a deep breath, and began to sing.

_We hold on to the lies to feel free,_

_So shackled by smiles, so empty._

_We're scared of the war, so we've forgotten who we are._

Allen's gentle voice filled his section of the studio as the expressive side of himself took over. He didn't have to be afraid when singing. Music was his escape, and he was completely focused on the song.

_We've traded in hope for safety, we're raised in the smoke,_

_Insisting that we're all too tired to light the fire,_

_And shake the earth._

The drummer pounded the drumsticks onto the set, and set the beat for the rest of the song.

_But if all we are is just machines, then let's become a miracle_

_And break free from these chains._

_We must be more than just machines,_

_So let them hear our hearts, so let them hear our hearts._

_So let them hear our hearts, so let them hear our hearts!_

Then, Lavi stepped closer to the microphone, and alternated singing that line with Allen. After several times, Allen shouted the line for the last time, and Lavi touched his pick to the strings of his black instrument, and played the specified notes flawlessly. After a few moments of heavy guitar and drums, Allen rejoined the song.

_Yeah!_

_Where will you run when there's no place left for you to hide?_

_When you're faced with the flood, will you stand for the future,_

_And swallow your pride?_

Allen took a deep breath to ready his voice for the next set of lyrics. This would take a toll on his voice. He was trying a new music style that he's never tried before.

_Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who dares to dream!_

_I scream at the top of my lungs, I hope that I'm proven wrong!_

_But if all we are is just machines, then let's become a miracle_

_And break free from these chains._

_We must be more than just machines, so let them hear our hearts_

_So let them hear our hearts!_

_Where will you run when there's no place left for you to hide?_

_When you're faced with the flood, will you stand for the future,_

_And swallow your pride?_

_Where will you run when there's no place left for you to hide?_

_When you're faced with the flood, will you stand for the future,_

_And swallow your pride?_

_If all we are is just machines, then we must be the cogs,_

_Inside the wheels of change._

_We must be more than just machines,_

_We can't afford to hide._

_We must embrace the pain._

Allen's voice got softer as he neared the last verse of the song.

_If all we are is just machines, then we must be the cogs,_

_Inside the wheels of change._

_We must be more than just machines,_

_We can't afford to hide._

_We must embrace the pain._

The last of the noise from the instruments beyond the barrier, and Allen let out a deep breath, trying to regain his voice. As Allen was catching his breath, Lavi and the drummer were talking.

"Well, now that that's done, I have some business to attend to." The drummer announced to Lavi.

"Okay, see you later then." Lavi replied. The drummer walked out of the room, and it was just Lavi and Allen in the studio, still separated by the one way mirror.

"Well, that was fun." Lavi commented.

"Yeah, but it can be exhausting at times." Allen stated truthfully.

"Well, I would definitely do it again." Lavi retorted.

The two of them packed up their equipment, and Allen placed his mask over his eyes, and his jacket hood over his head. Lavi placed his guitar into the case, and slung it over his shoulder.

"I'll contact you for the next song I record. I need someone like you for my music." Allen called to Lavi.

"Really?" Thanks!" Lavi shouted. And with that, They both left the recording studio, and back to their normal lives.

**A/N: I apologize if the ending to this chapter seemed kind of rushed, but I couldn't really find a good place to cut it off. The next chapter is on its way, so don't worry! :) I'm also taking the suggestion of one of my reviewers to make Kanda one of Lavi's friends. I was going to make him the drummer, but I really CANNOT see Kanda playing the drums... I crack up every time I try XD. Anyway, check out the song that I used for this chapter. It's called ****_Machines_**** by Crown the Empire. ANYWAY...**

**Until Next Time,**

**~HaganeNoWriter**


	5. Battle Scars

**A/N: HELLO MINA AND OTHER OTAKU FOLKS OR WHATEVER I'M RAMBLING NOW IN A RUN-ON SENTENCE! ANYWAY... This is the fifth chapter, obviously. I'm actually really proud of myself. This is the first time that I've written 5 chapters for a story without loosing inspiration. HEHEHEHHEHEHEH! ANYWAY, READ ZE STORY! XD**

When leaving the studio, Allen, Lenalee, and Komui made their way back to the car to drive home. It had already been an hour since they had gotten there. The three piled into the car, and pulled out of the parking lot. On their way, Allen saw Lavi talking with a guy looked about the same age as him. He had long, dark hair that was pulled up in a ponytail, except for cropped bangs that hung over his face. He was wearing a leather jacket,, and a pair of jeans with sneakers. He was clearly of asian descent, as shown by his facial features. Lavi seemed to be annoying the other individual, as a scowl seemed permanently chiseled on his features. Allen's car kept driving, and they were soon home.

As they walked through the door, the Lee family settled down and began to have dinner like a normal family would. Allen retreated upstairs to his room to return his mask and jacket to the resting place. Alln then drifted over to his bed, and sat upright against his pillows and wall. He then reached over the side of the mattress, and pulled an object from between his mattress and box frame. A leather bound journal with a bookmark and pen to match. Allen flipped the cover open to reveal the first entry he had written when he was ten years old. The penmanship was messy. After all, where would a kid on the streets learn to write? The first entry read as so:

_Hello. My name is Allen Walker. My new big sister Lena gave me this book to write in. I saw her writing in one like this, only it was bright blue and had pink ribbons on it. She noticed me, and she explained that it was a diary. She also told me that people write down their feelings that they can't say out loud. I have a lot of those thoughts. I really want to tell my new sister what I'm thinking, but I'm not sure yet. I told Mister Lee about Mana, but Lena doesn't know yet. Everytime I think about Mana I just… _

The rest of the entry was blotched out from tear stains. Allen remembered the day he wrote this entry when he was ten. It was only a few months after Komui had adopted him, and he still hadn't began to call Komui by his first name. Allen skimmed along other old entries, and another one stood out in particular. It wasn't a pleasant day.

_Hello, again. I don't have any good news for this entry. Today wasn't a good day at school. My classes didn't bother me, but something happened in the hall. A couple of older kids started teasing me about my scar, and like everything else that involves my STUPID past, triggered another panic attack. I was seeing that man cutting my face again. Then Lena showed up. She tried to get them to leave me alone. At the time, my eyes were switching back and forth between than man and Lena defending me. What really snapped me back to reality for good was the bully launching his fist at Lena's face. She ended up falling to the ground, clutching her left eye. A teacher intervened, and we both waited in the health room for Komui to pick us up. When we got home, Lena said that she wanted to talk to me. I was scared that she would be mad at me, but she just sat me down in her room, and hugged me. She told me that it wasn't my fault, and that she didn't blame me for getting hurt. I started crying and told her that if i didn't have the eye that I have, she wouldn't be hurt for defending me. What she said to me after this, I have to quote so I'll never forget them. She pointed to her black eye and told me "You shouldn't be the only one to have to suffer because of an eye. Besides, did nobody ever tell you? Scars and bruises make you look tough!" Lena said all that with an enthusiastic smile. This made me realized that I would never trade Lena in for anything in the world. I don't care if I'm adopted. She'll always be my sister. _

Allen smiled at the end of the entry. He had truly accepted and trusted Lenalee after that point. he knew that any problem he had, he could talk to Lenalee about it. His mismatched hands gently turned to the next empty page, and poised his hand to begin writing, but was interrupted by the subject of his previous thoughts.

"Allen, dinner's ready." Lenalee said from the doorway.

"O-oh. I'll be down." Lenalee noticed the book in Allen's hands.

"You still have that thing?" Lenalee asked.

"Yeah, I was just looking at old entries." Allen replied, slightly embarrassed.

"Oh, well, dinner's ready." Lenalee informed, and turned to leave the room.

"Wait! Do you remember when you got a black eye?" Allen asked quickly, preventing Lenalee from leaving.

"Yeah, why?"Lenalee asked curiously, walking over and sitting on my bed with me.

"I was just thinking, and remembering what you told me." Allen replied.

"That was so long ago. You've really changed. What did I say?"

"You told me that scars and bruises make me look tough." Allen replied, heat rising to his cheeks.

"Well, that, and did you know that when your body gets hurt, it will heal and become stronger than it was before?" Lenalee asked him with a smile.

"No, I didn't" Allen replied truthfully.

"Well, it's true. I want you to know that what you've been through doesn't make you weak. It makes you strong from being able to work past it. Even though the effects still linger, that's just making you stronger, and preparing you for what's to come." These words hit home for Allen. This seemed like a pumped up version of the pep talk he had gotten years ago. Allen tried to say something back to her, but was tongue-tied. What could he say to that? Instead, he leaned forward, and hugged his sister, and put his head on her shoulder.

They sat there for what seemed like an eternity until Komui's voice struck through the silence like a bolt of lightning.

"How long are you staying up there? Dinner's getting cold!"

The two of them tensed, and eventually broke the hug. Allen and Lenalee left the room. Before they were in hearing range of Komui, Allen whispered a phrase of gratitude.

"Thank you."

**A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETO! I actually have had a consistent chapter update-age rate. This is... new. I'M RELIABLE! OMG THAT'S NEW! XD. Well, I finally got Kanda into the story... XD. I'll have Allen and Kanda meet next chapter or the chapter after. MUAHAHAH THE MEETING OF YUU AND THE MOYASHI COMENSES! XD. Well, that's all for now. **

**Until Next Time,**

**~HaganeNoWriter**


	6. A Painful Reminder

A/N: HELLO MINA WITH A NEW CHAPTER FINALLY! GOMEN-NASAI FOR NOT UPDATING LAST WEEKEND, I COULDN'T THINK OF A WAY TO END THIS CHAPTER... Also, where, oh where have my reviewers gone? For the last chapter or two I haven't received much feedback. Guys, I write for YOU. I need to know if my content is meeting your expectations or not. That's the whole point of reviews. ANYWAY, If you can, please review. :) Also, I have decided that this story will be... *Drumroll* NO PAIRINGS! I apologize for the people who wanted me to attempt Laven. Laven is my #1 OTP, and I want to practice writing it before I apply it to a story. But, I actually got Kanda in the story. HOW 'BOUT DAT? I have some PLANS for Kanda. I'm taking the suggestion of one of my reviewers, and trying to create a brotherly bond between Allen and Kanda. I've literally never seen that kind of relationship between these two, so I wanted to try it out.

ANYWAY READ ZE STORY! XD

The next morning, another day of school awaited. Once again, Allen and Lenalee unwillingly got out of bed to prepare for the day ahead. They once again walked the streets to Cross Marian High, Lenalee shielding the alleyways from Allen's eyes. Once again, they parted ways to their respective classes. As usual, the classes were boring, and the only memorable event occurred during lunch.

Allen and Lenalee were eating their lunch in the same spot they always do. A secluded spot that that could escape the rest of the student body. In the shadow of an oak tree, its branches littered with birds' nests. This was the only time of the school day that Allen let his hood down, and revealed his imperfections. Lenalee was the only person that he could truly be himself around, so why should he hide his face from her?

They ate in peace in the shade; box lunches that Komui had carefully crafted for them. Each corner of the container was split into sections that contained different food items such as rice, soba, and sliced fruit. Allen wondered how Komui mad the time to create this masterpiece, when he has such a demanding career. As a police officer, he had to be ready for any call at any time. He was such a caring person when it came to family, but anybody else would probably think that he was a wackjob, due to his sister-complex.

"Have you been working on any new song lately?" Lenalee asked casually, in between bites of rice.

"Yeah, a couple actually." Allen replied, shyly. There actually was one song in particular that he'd been working on for a while now, but he wanted it to be perfect. He wanted to dedicate a song to Lenalee at one of his concerts, maybe for a special occasion, but needed to make sure that everything is perfect before he takes it to the studio or stage.

"Is that so? I've always wondered where you get inspiration from for your songs." Lenalee thought out loud.

"I sometimes imagine scenarios and turn them into songs. A lot of people want me to write love songs, but I've never been in a relationship, so it can be tough." Allen spoke truthfully. This was true for his latest recording of his song, Machines. Allen had imagined how it would be if another war broke out. At the time, he was also fascinated with the will of humanity. That idea probably came from manga.

"What's one of your new songs about?" Lenalee questioned.

"W-Well, a memory of Mana." Allen said softly. Lenalee nearly dropped her chopsticks. This was really unusual. Allen rarely ever talks about his time with his foster father, much less writes songs about him.

"Oh, that's great! I'm sure that he's really proud of you!." Lenalee cheered, filled to the brim with enthusiasm. It wasn't every day that Allen cracked the ice of his past, but it would be good for him to break out of his shell.

"T-Thanks. I really hope so." Allen said, looking up to the sky, watching the clouds, wondering if Mana could really see him now. If he could, Allen hoped that he was proud of him for making it this far after what happened. If he wasn't, Allen wouldn't be sure of what to do.

"Well, I'm happy for you. Even though I don't know exactly what happened with Mana, I'm glad that you're coming out of your shell." Lenalee said with a bright smile, evident that she was happy for her little brother.

Allen spotted something out of the corner of his eye. A flash of red and black. He turned his head, and saw a couple of familiar faces. It was the guitarist from the recording studio. Lavi, if he remembered correctly. With his was his ever-agitated friend, whom he didn't know the name of. They were walking in their general direction. Allen panicked. He quickly threw up the hood of his jacket, and turned the other way, so he was facing Lenalee.

Lenalee was startled by Allen's sudden change in demeanor, until she glanced up at the approaching students. She threw Allen a soft smile when she recognized them.

"Hey, Kanda." Lenalee called out to the black-haired teenager.

"Hello, Lenalee." Kanda said back in a gruff voice, his scowl only lightening slightly, then returning when Lavi elbowed his side.

"Hey! Look at that! Yuu has friends!" Lavi exclaimed with a grin.

"Yes, have a life outside of you, as shocking as it is." Kanda retorted. Lavi walked over to Lenalee, sat down next to her, and held out his hand.

"My name's Lavi. If you can put up with Yuu, you must be pretty awesome." Lavi said, smiling, and laughing slightly. Lenalee shook his hand.

"Baka Usagi." Kanda grumbled lowly in Japanese.

"Nice to meet you as well." Lenalee responded kindly. It was now that Kanda noticed Allen, who had been sitting completely still, trying to get the newcomers to ignore him.

"Who's the beansprout?" Kanda asked coldly. Allen tensed, and kept his gaze on the ground, still silent. That seemingly harmless nickname froze Allen's blood in his veins. That title, it was given to him before.

Plunged into the world of memories, he was being held down, pinned to the ground by a single person. A scene so terrifyingly familiar. Once again, he saw the twisted grin of the oppressor, and his fellow gangsters cheering him on. In the sea of voices, one stood out in particular. The voice of a person younger than the others.

"Kill that beansprout, Boss!"

"Yeah, who's Mr. Shady over here?" Lavi asked, directing his gaze to Allen, and Allen could feel the new gaze on him. Like a truck slamming into him. He felt really uncomfortable. Allen never liked attention, not without his mask. He know that nobody can judge him when he's wearing the mask.

"Allen, are you alright?" Lenalee asked, concerned.

"Y-yeah." Allen replied quietly.

"Are you sure?" Lenalee demanded.

"I'm fine." Allen said, still looking at the ground. Kanda and Lavi shared a confused look. Lavi was the first to speak.

"Hey, you alright, beansprout?" Lavi asked innocently, putting a hand on Allen's shoulder. Allen flinched away harshly, and scrambled to his feet. Hearing that title again made him panic even more. Kanda and Lavi's stares were more than he could take, so he turned around and walked quickly toward the bathrooms.

"Allen!" Lenalee squeaked, and got up to follow him.

"Is he your boyfriend or something?" Kanda shouted to her as they walked away.

"He's my little brother, you jerk!" Lenalee yelled back, both angry and concerned at the same time. Lavi and Kanda both shared a confused look, but decided to follow them to see if the younger teen was alright.

A/N: Well, another chapter done. As I said before, have some surprises in store for Lavi and Kanda... MUAHAHAH. Also, I'm trying to find a song to use for the song that Allen is dedicating to Lenalee. I have a few options, but they don't quite fit the context. For any song recommendations for songs that could describe Allen and Lenalee's siblinghood, Allen's struggle with PTSD and his past, or songs that you could see Allen singing, please put them in a review or PM me. Well, that's all for now.

Until Next Time,

~HaganeNoWriter


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